The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-10
A FAREWELL TO BASE BALL.
Nashville Disbanded, Memphis Totter
ing-The League in Extremis.

Nashville Disbanded Memphis Totter-
ing-The League in Extremis.
Base ball in the South is thing of the
past. Once there was flourishing league
playing TO profitable gate receipts in eight
Southern cities, but base ball is not game
that appeals strongly to the sport lover of
the South. 1t is not his kind of sport. So
the clubs have been suffering heavy losses
since the novelty of the thing wore off and
now they are sick unto death Last year
there were eight clubs in the Southern
League and most of them made money, but
this year only six entered the field: New
Orleans, Mobile, Savannah, Charleston,
Nashville and Memphis.
1t was not long after the season opened
before it became known that the public was
not at al interested in the games, and it was
not n matter of doubt for the gate receipts
relieved it of all uncertainty. Still
the league struggled on and attempted
to keep up the games, but Mobile
ran out Of money and ceased to
exist. That was not encouraging, but then
Birmingham announced that it would come
iii. That gave rise to new hope, but
Just as Birmingham perfected its
organization Savannah dissolved
and that again acted as damper. The
league, however, continued to play the five
New Orleans were losing heavily and
steadily, and at but few of the games did
the gate receipts equal the amount of the
guarantee.
Nashville and Memphis failed to pay
their July dues when they became payable
on July 10, but President Morrow was
lenient with them and permitted the matter
TO run on until about Aug. 1, when he is
sued a notice that if they were not paid ON
or before Aug 6 the franchises of both
clubs would be taken away. The 9th came,
and Memphis after making a desperate
effort succeeded in reElitting by telegraph
in time to save their franchise, but Nash
vile is no more All efforts We're fruitless.
Tho clubs hackers had sunk $4,000. ard
did not propose to sink any more, and the
franchise was revoked and the players re-
leased, Memphis is tottering Her August
dues should be paid to. day, and as she was
unable to make the July payment before
Aug. g. it is doubtful whether she will be
able to make the August remittance at all,
in fact, the friends OF the club virtually ad-
NIT that it cannot play the sea son out.
However, it does not seem probable that
Memphis will be called upon to continue
playing as the indications are that the
league will go TO pieces. President Morrow
a short time since advised the Charleston
people to sell their franchise to the league
for $1,000, which was offered They
were bullheaded and refused. Since then
they have lost about 5000 Birmingham
is losing 800 every day and the Memphis
club is on its last legs. New Orleans has
had Sunday games, which have kept hcr
team out OF the straits. Taken all in all,
the season of 1897 has been disastrous one
to the South, the league losing, at reason
able estimate, at least $4,000
Atlanta has been footing a great big tin
horn over the announcement that she had
signed some crack players for next year, but
Atlanta seemed to forget that she had not
done anything of the sort, because, under
the NATIONAL agreement, she couldn't. Be-
sides, il the agreement had permitted her to
do so, all the club would be able to do next
year would be TO play against the local
teams, and there is not much money in that.
Atlanta has made her squirt in base ball Just
as the darling game petercd out, but At
lanta can now sit back and say what club
she would have had if the Southern League
had not exploded.